1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an animal hanger rack, and more particularly, a hunter arm.
The present invention is an apparatus that can be utilized to aid outdoorsmen in quickly skinning an animal while it hangs from the back of their truck. The hunter arm can assist individuals in quickly and easily removing the skin of a recently killed animal without searching for a tree to hang the carcass for skinning purposes. The present invention is ideal for any hunter so they may remove the skin of an animal in a timely fashion outdoors without the use of a tree.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to hang a carcass for skinning, individuals may spend a large amount of time and gas driving around looking for an adequate tree. Transporting an animal to one's home for cleaning can also be a tedious process. After skinning the animal at one's residence, they may then have to find a way to dispose of the leftover carcass. Having a simple way to hang an animal from one's truck so it can easily be cleaned shortly after being killed may assist hunters in saving time and energy when skinning animal.
Numerous innovations for portable animal hoist and skinning devices have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,703, Issued on Jul. 13, 1982, to Tanner teaches a supporting device, particularly for game animals, which comprises first and second elongated members. A first end of the second elongated member is attached perpendicularly to a first end of the first member. A first, stationary cross bar is attached perpendicularly to a second end of the second member. In a preferred embodiment, of the present invention the first elongated member is rotatably received within a sleeve. In a further preferred embodiment a second cross bar, movable toward and away from the first, stationary cross bar, is displaced by a cable and a winch. A pair of chains having ends of the stationary and second movable cross bar passed through appropriate links of each of the chains selectively holds the movable cross bar against downward vertical movement with respect to the stationary cross bar and limits pivotal and rotational movement of the movable cross bar about the cable. The supporting device of the present invention is adapted to be received in a slot typically provided in a side wall of a bed of a truck or attached to a screw arranged on any suitable support device. In a simplified embodiment of the present invention, the movable cross bar, the chains, the cable, and the winch are eliminated and the stationary cross bar is used to support an animal. In addition, a pair of braces are arranged to further stabilize the stationary cross bar.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,806,063, Issued on Feb. 21, 1989, to York teaches a portable wild game hoist having a multiple section boom which can be assembled and dismantled. The boom is supported at its lower end by a standard trailer hitch mounted on the rear of a vehicle. Straps are secured to the upper section of the boom and terminate in hooks at their distal ends which are adapted to mate with the edges of the fenders of the vehicle. A torsion bar is adjustably secured to one section of the boom so that is bears against the rear body or tailgate of the vehicle. A rope extends from a winch secured to the boom through a pulley at the distal end of the boom. The rope supports a hanger with hooks for supporting the animal from its rear hooves. In a further embodiment, the boom may be supported by a base resting on the ground and stabilized by the trailer hitch. In both embodiments, the boom is comprised of a plurality of mating sections.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,601, Issued on May 18, 1993, to Cope teaches a mechanical device for removing the skin from whitetail deer or other game animals of similar size. This invention is self-supporting and needs no assistance from tree limbs or other permanent overhead structures as conventional methods. With the skin holders the skin is held stationary while the carcass is lifted and pulled from the skin. The carcass is pulled from the skin by mechanical means as compared to the skin being pulled from the carcass by hand with the present method.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,095, Issued on Aug. 4, 1998, to Watson teaches a boom and mast apparatus that includes a transverse support member which has a proximal portion and a distal portion. A longitudinal mast assembly is connected to the distal portion of the transverse support member. The longitudinal mast assembly includes a support-member-connected end and a boom-member-connected end. The longitudinal mast assembly also includes a lower segment connected to the transverse support member, an upper segment, and a connector assembly for selectively connecting the upper segment to the lower segment. A first bearing ring is connected transversely to a topmost portion of the lower segment. A second bearing ring is connected transversely to a bottommost portion of the upper segment. The second bearing ring is placed in registration with the first bearing ring when the boom and mast apparatus is assembled. A boom member is connected to the boom-member-connected end of the longitudinal mast assembly. A winch assembly is connected to the upper segment of the longitudinal mast assembly. A winding strap is wound by the winch assembly. A bottom portion of the lower segment of the longitudinal mast assembly is hollow and receives a support leg assembly which can selectively be retracted into or extended out from the bottom portion of the lower segment. The support leg assembly includes a leg member and a base member. The leg member includes a plurality of adjustment channels.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,858, Issued on Aug. 11, 1998, to Sasser teaches a vehicle mounted game skinning device comprising a vertical support unit having a hitch connection member connected on one end to a vehicle hitch and connected on the other end to a vertical column member which slideably receives a boom arm member and a winch unit mounted on the vertical support unit and provided with a game spreader bar for raising and lowering game animals.
A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,974, Issued on May 16, 2000, to Williams teaches a portable, foldable structure for the dressing of game animals in the field. The present invention is a portable game support which has an upper arm with a game attachment means suspended at one end of the upper arm and a flange support attached at the terminus of the other end of the upper arm with means for attachment to a tree trunk or like vertical columnar member. The portable game animal support has a lower arm having means at one end for attachment to the tree or like vertical columnar member with the lower arm being coupled at the other end to the upper arm to provide additional strength to the portable game animal support.
A SEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,431, Issued on Jul. 18, 2000, to Hayworth teaches a hoist for lifting game animals or other loads which comprises a boom mounted on a support column in communication with a base. The boom is rotatable relative to the base, which is insertable within a draw bar-type hitch receiver. The boom, support column and base are modular components that advantageously allow for quick assembly/disassembly of the hoist and compact storage of the hoist components. Further, the length of the hoist is adjustable to compensate for the size of the game animal or load being lifted. Additionally, a light source is attached to the hoist to illuminate the area near the hoist to increase safety during operation of the hoist. Finally, a dual draw bar for increasing the utilization of a draw bar-type hitch is included. The dual draw bar has at one end a draw bar adapter and at the opposite end a first and a second receiver section for utilization with draw bar-type accessories.
AN EIGHTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,109,855, Issued on Aug. 29, 2000 to Vela-Cuellar teaches a hoist and carrier apparatus for securing game to a vehicle. The hoist and carrier apparatus includes a device for connecting the apparatus to the vehicle and a vertical member having a first end connected to the connecting device, a second end and a pulley wheel disposed on the second end of the vertical member. A animal hoist carrier receives the animal and is releasably connected to and slideable along a length of the vertical member. A pulley is connected to and extends from the first vertical member and a cable extends from the pulley and over the pulley wheel for connecting to the animal hoist carrier. When the cable is caused to be wound on the pulley, the animal hoist carrier is caused to be pulled towards the vertical member and, upon being secured to the vertically extending member, slide upward along the length of the vertically extending member thereby raising any animal releasably secured thereto.
A NINTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,250,483, Issued on Jun. 26, 2001 to Frommer teaches a field hoist that includes a support having a post extending upwardly therefrom. A base is slidably received over the post and is freely rotatable about an axis defined by the post. The base has a winch and pivot lock mounted thereto. The pivot lock engaging and disengaging the post and the base in a desired angular orientation with respect to the axis. An angled upright has a vertical portion which is telescopically received within the base. The angled upright has a sleeve extending upwardly atop the vertical portion at a preselected angle towards the side of the base having the winch mounted thereon. A support extension is slidably received within the sleeve and extends therefrom. A winch cable has a hook mounted at one end thereof, the other end of the winch cable being attached to the winch. The winch cable extending upwardly to the sleeve, upwardly along the sleeve and the support extension, and lastly extending downwardly from the end of the support extension. An animal hanger is provided on the hook.
A TENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,705,821, Issued on Mar. 16, 2004, to Philipps et al. teaches a game hanger apparatus which is attachable to a tow hitch of a pickup truck. The folded game hanger can be taken to the site in the bed of the truck and speedily installed in the tow hitch for hanging, cleaning and butchering large game, such as deer and small bears. The apparatus comprises a mast and fixed boom of square cross-section, and having a winch, pulleys and a spreader bar with a pair of end hooks and a pair of pins which engage a jib at the end of the boom to prevent the game from twisting. The horizontal bottom and top bars are locked in place by removable pins for operation, and unlocked by removing the pins for folding the unit for storage. The bottom bar is inserted into a tow hitch and locked in place with the hitch pin.
AN ELEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2004/0214515, Published on Oct. 28, 2004, to Skarlupka IV et al. teaches a game hoist and skinner apparatus for raising game off the ground and transferring it to a vehicle includes a carriage guide assembly, a sliding carriage assembly, a load attachment means, and a raising mechanism. The carriage guide assembly includes a lower member affixed to a 360 degree rotating mechanism at one end and a hitch receiver adapter affixed to the opposite end. The sliding carriage assembly includes a horizontal member having a first end opposite a second end, and the first end is affixed to a vertical member that slides along a vertical support between the upper end and the bottom end of the carriage guide. A load attachment means is secured to the second end of the sliding carriage assembly.
A TWELFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Patent Office Publication No. 2005/0175418, published on Aug. 11, 2005, to Johnson teaches a portable deer dressing and skinning device, that attaches to a truck or ATV trailer hitch, for easily field dressing a skinning a deer at the kill site, including a frame/body, a hitch pin, a winch, wire rope sheaves, galvanized wire, snap hooks, wire rope thimbles, a spreader bar, and a lanyard.
A THIRTEENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 7,059,955, Issued on Jun. 13, 2006, to Green et al. teaches a portable hoist for suspending a load, which may be an animal. The portable animal hoist may include a telescopic arm rotatable about a base. The base may be configured to be releasably attachable to many devices, one of which may be a receiver hitch on a vehicle. A winch may be attached to the telescopic arm for supporting a load. The telescopic arm may also include one or more pulleys for supporting a cable coupled to the winch. The portable hoist may be used to transport animals while being suspended by the hoist.
A FOURTEENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 7,374,388, Issued on May, 20, 2008, to Holt teaches a game hoist apparatus that is attachable to a tow hitch of a pickup truck or similar vehicle. The game hoist can be taken to the site in the bed of the truck and speedily installed in the tow hitch for hanging, cleaning and butchering large game, such as deer. The hoist includes a folding tubular boom of square cross-section, and having a winch, pulleys and a spreader bar for supporting the game animal. A stabilizer fixture on the end of the boom engages the spreader bar to prevent the game from twisting. The boom is made up of two sections which are locked in place at a swivel bracket by removable pins for operation, and unlocked by removing the pins for folding the unit for storage or transit. The boom lower end is supported from an attachment bar which is inserted into a tow hitch and locked in place with the hitch pin.
It is apparent now that numerous innovations for portable animal hoist and skinning devices have been provided in the prior art that are adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.